While He Is Sleeping

Chapter Eight - New Undevelopments

"It's about time for Dumbledore to come and get Harry," I said to no one in particular. We found out that Dumbledore was going to read Harry my will, and I wanted to witness it.

The will was something I had written one day when I was wallowing myself away in self pity, then I had given it Dumbledore at an Order meeting. I knew that whatever happened Dumbledore would do what needed to be done. I glanced down at Harry through the window and chuckled. He seemed to be doing fine and he hadn't had any troubles over the summer; now he was peacefully asleep against his window and snoring loudly. I looked down at Dumbledore who was in his office, preparing to leave and go to Little Winging having no idea that Harry was not ready to leave at all.

Dumbledore apparated onto Harry's street as Harry's alarm went off, causing the teen to jump awake. He pressed his face against the window to look out at the aged wizard and as soon as he saw him he jumped to the middle of his room and began to pack his trunk. Lily stepped up beside me and snorted, shaking her head.

"He's so like his father," she grumbled.

We, and soon James, watched as Dumbledore entered the house and we laughed at the Dursleys. Harry hadn't told them that another wizard would be in there house, and they seemed to be a little... stumped. Dumbledore remained calm and proceeded to their living room, getting himself something to drink and making himself comfortable. I flinched slightly when Vernon asked whether or not I was dead. I knew that Harry hadn't talked to them much over the summer, but I also knew that it was probably bothering Harry to hear that.

Dumbledore told Harry about my will, and how I had left him everything. James made a comment that Harry was probably the wealthiest wizard now, right above the Malfoys who had just lost a lot of money since Voldemort reappeared. Lucius was trying to get himself out of trouble but it was not working. Harry, understandabley, didn't want my house. I thought it was a disgusting place as well but I figured Harry didn't want it because of memories. I snorted when I realized what the one complication was. Kreacher.

Kreacher appeared in the Dursley's living room and began to through a tantrum, proving to Dumbledore that he was in fact Harry's now. An evil smile appeared on my face, mother would have loved this. James patted my back, smirking and undoubtably thinking the same thing. Harry told him to shut up, and Kreacher did immediately; he was then sent to work in the Hogwarts kitchen. Harry also owned Buckbeak now, but he was going to let him live with Hagrid.

Harry quickly packed his trunk after returning to his bedroom. He went backk into the living room to find Dumbledore, who talked to the Durselys about Voldemort. It was all about how the Dursleys hadn't properly raised Harry, and never had treated him as their own. I knew this, the blank spots in Ron and Hermione's stories had been filled by James and Lily. I never liked the Dursleys, but I really hate them now. Then the blood protection Harry had at their house came up.

Dumbledore had told me about the protection that Harry had at the Dursleys, how he was the safest there because Lily had died in order to protect him. He had the same blood as Petunia, no matter how small it was, and it kept him safe. But it would be over soon, and I hadn't thought about that.

"I hadn't thought about that," James said, repeated my thoughts.

Lily nodded in agreement. "I guess I knew that it would end when he was of age, but I never fully thought about it."

Dumbledore and Harry went outside and down to the corner of the street before disapparating. Harry and Dumbledore hit the ground in a dark neighborhood, Harry wobbling slightly at the sensation of apparition.

"The sensation takes some getting used to," Dumbledore told Harry, who nodded and rubbed. I smiled but nodded with Harry, I prefered floo and flying.

"I think I'd prefer brooms," Harry muttered and I smiled proudly with James.

They walked and talked as Dumbledore led the way to somewhere. James, Lily and I did not know what was going on now, so we were very interested in what was happening. The three of us grimaced as the two of them talked about Inferi and Voldemort's army of it. They reached a house and Harry followed his headmaster up the stone path to the front door, but when Dumbledore stopped suddenly before entering, Harry walked into him.

"Oh dear. Oh dear, dear, dear," Dumbledore said quietly.

Lily gasped audibly; who's ever house they were out had been attacked, the front door was hanging off it's hinges. As Harry followed Dumbledore into the house with his wand out, he looked around with a gaping and not really preparing himself for a fight. Everything in the house was disheveled and broken and there was blood splattered across the walls. Harry suggested that the house's owner was taken, but DUmbledore quickly shot it down, seeming more confident now. The old man poke an arm chair with his wand and there was a loud "Ouch!"

Suddenly Horace Slughorn was where the chair was and all three of us gasped; more in a groaning way. Slughorn was the potions professor during our time; he was a good guy but annoying obbsessive of the 'special' students. As if we were thinking the same thing, James and I both looked over at Lily who turned bright red. She was smart enough to get on Slughorn's good side and since she was muggle-born, she impressed him even more. He took quite an intrest in James, Remus and I as well; all the brilliant trouble be caused during school. The three of us were smart too, so he took an intrest in finding out why we 'wasted our talents.'

James also had a well known family. His parents had been a major part in the wizarding community; James only ever wet to Slughorn's dinners though if Lily was going. I was intriguing to him though because I broke my family's tradition. I was sorted into Gryfindor instead of Slytherin, but even that wasn't enough to get invited to dinner. He liked Remus because he generally behaved in class and would make James and me behave, and he was also smart. The fact that he was a werewolf didn't bother Slughorn, but Slughorn did like to talk to him about it after classes.

Dumbledore explained to Slughorn how he knew where he was, and that nothing had actually happened to here. After a couple of minutes they flicked their wands and everything in the house began to fly back to it's place and fix itself. I watched as Harry watched the items fly around in awe; he was so unknowledgable about the magical world it made me kind of sad. But I also know that James always liked watching this charm, so it could just be the Potter in him. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that James was still memorized by the charm and I shook my head.

"It's a bit crual to use Harry, don't you think," Lily huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. I stared at her for a moment before everything clicked in my head.

I shrugged. "No offense Lils but your son kind of carries a presence... Him breathing is a pretty persuasive thing."

James chuckled quietly as he looked down at the scene. Lily was a bit more stern about everything Harry. James was obviously protective, but nothing could compare to Lily Evans and a mother, let alone Lily Evans as a mother. Dumbledore introduced them and Slughorn instantly knew that Dumbledore was trying to persuade him - and it seemed to be working. Slughorn tried to ignore Harry, looking resolutely anywhere else. Dumbledore talked to Slughorn for a few minutes to make it seem like he was genuinely here just for a chat.

When Delores Umbrige came into subject, I gritted my teeth. Since my passing I have found out a lot about Harry. One of the things is what Umbrige did to him, I would happily attack her if I was alive. Slughorn said that he didn't like her, which caused Harry to chuckle and agree. Dumbledore stood slightly and excused himself to the bathroom - this way Harry could talk to Slughorn.

Harry got the whole shpiel about how he looked just like James, except for his eyes - which were Lily's. Slughorn told Harry about how Lily was one of his favorites which earned the redhead cocky looks from James and I. I also came up into subject; how I had broken out of my family and gone into Gryfindor. He said that "it's a shame", he would have liked the set. Slughorn brought up the fact that Lily was muggle-born, and how he couldn't believe it when he found out. I knew that that was one of the best things Slughorn could say - Harry will bring up Hermione and get defensive, so that will show Slughorn that he is a good kid. I was correct, and Slughorn instantly defended himself.

This shot Slughorn into a new conversation - how all of his favorite students had gone on to become these great things. He talked about how they all kept in touch with him, which seemed to make him quite proud. Harry seemed to be actually interested in who Slughorn taught, and he listened as the professor rambled on about getting free tickets to the Harpies.

"And all these people know where to find you, to send you stuff?" Harry asked him interstedly.

We all grinned simultaneously at this.

"It's really too bad Harry doesn't realize how smart he is," James laughed. Harry was so blind sometimes, but his blindness was ingenious.

After Slughorn's realization, Dumbledore came out of the bathroom and told Harry that they were to leave. If they went to leave quick enough then Slughorn would jump to change his mind. Just as Harry and Dumbledore reached the front door, Slughorn yelled that he would take the job. I smiled, Harry had done it; albeit without knowing it. I couldn't help but wonder why Dumbledore wanted Slughorn to come back to Hogwarts, and as Harry and Dumbledore left, Dumbledore told the teen that Slughorn would try to collect him. I knew this already, but it made me think that that was what Dumbledore was trying to do; he wanted Harry to get close with Slughorn for some reason.

Dumbledore took Harry to the Burrow through appartition, and as he looked up at the uneven house I felt a wave of joy wash over me at the sight of Harry's large smile. Lily looked over at me and smiled as well.

"He really loves it there," she told me, although she seemed a bit saddened by this fact.

Dumbledore took Harry into the small shed outside of the Burrow for a private word. They talked about me at first, and my heart broke when Harry admitted that it's hard knowing that I won't ever write him again. But he regained himself like my godson in saying that he wasn't letting himself wallow away because I wouldn't want him to do that and life is too short, especially nowadays. Dumbledore also shared with him that he would be having private lessons with the headmaster!

"Wow," James said. "I wonder what they'll do in those." The two of us shared an excited look, obviously those lessons would be something about ending the war.

The Weasleys had the most xtensive protections provided, which made me, and I'm sure the two parents, feel more at ease. Harry promise to carry the cloak around at all times and to not risk anything while staying at the Burrow. I didn't think harry would, he thought too highly of Molly and Arthur, but it was nice to hear Harry promise none the less. They went up to the Burrow's door and got permission to come in from Molly after confirming who it was. Tonks was there and I frowned when I saw her.

Before I went to Azkaban, I had been close with her. I love Adromeda dearly and Tonks had been adorable as a child. Now, though, she was in love with my friend who was too stupid to admit that he loved her back. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Tonks didn't care that Remus was older or that he was a werewolf; while we had different types of love for the man, I loved him too and I understood how she did. I know that Remus loved her, and I knew that he and Tonks knew that he did as well; he ust wouldn't accept a relationship because he was stupid and thought he wasn't good enough. James, Lily and I all shared an annoyed look with each other about our friend as Tonks left the Burrow quickly. There were big things to happen.

Second spiritual chapter! :) This one is a bit longer than all of the other chapters I've written for this story, so I hope I could keep you guys entertained. Thank you to those who left a comment for the last chapter, so keep it up and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading.